Early Childhood Focus

New state rating system should help reduce fraud

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:37:18 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Staff
The state quality child care rating system, which goes into full effect next year, is long overdue. It will help parents take some of the guesswork out of finding high-quality child care for their kids and give low-scoring providers the proper incentives to improve.

Child Care in State Costly, National Study Finds

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:39:54 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Herald Times Reporter
By Steve Contorno
Sending a child to day care in Wisconsin can cost thousands more than a year of tuition at one of the state's colleges.

Capitol Report: State Looks to Save Millions by Cutting Child Care Subsidies

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:45:56 PST

EXCERPT FROM: The Cap Times
By Jessica Vanegeren
For the past 20 years, Verona resident Joan Mrkvicka has watched as the number of low-income families in need of quality child-care services has increased in her community.

State to Tie Some Child-care Subsidies to Attendance

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:41:01 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Jason Stein
Madison - Gov. Scott Walker's administration is tying child-care subsidies for the poor to whether the children are actually attending day care.

Milwaukee Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Child Care Fraud

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:58:58 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Breann Schossow
A Milwaukee man was sentenced Friday to three years in prison and five years of extended supervision after being convicted on two counts of felony theft from the state-subsidized child care program Wisconsin Shares.

Women Respond to Gov. Walker�s Budget Proposals

Mon, 16 May 2011 11:48:43 PST

EXCERPT FROM: ThirdCoast Digest
By Patti Wenzel
Many people have weighed in on Gov.Scott Walker�s proposed budget, but what about the people who will be most affected by the cuts to health care, education and child care?

Child Care Operator Convicted in Scam

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:55:22 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By John Diedrich
A Milwaukee man was convicted by a jury Thursday on two counts of felony theft in a rip-off of the state's subsidized child care program, known as Wisconsin Shares.

$1 Million Approved for ID Scanners in Child Care Facilities

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:20:23 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Patrick Marley
Madison � The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee unanimously approved spending $1 million to install fingerprint scanners in child care facilities as a means of stemming fraud in the Wisconsin Shares subsidy program.

Wisconsin Expands Crack Down On Child Care Fraud

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:11:46 PST

EXCERPT FROM: WCCO.com
By The Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) ― Wisconsin state officials say they expect to save about $115 million over the next two years by cracking down on fraudulent child care providers.

Funds Set to Train Child Care Providers

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:27:23 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
Child care providers will have more opportunities to improve their programs and at a lower cost as the state Department of Children and Families pumps $1.5 million into training programs across much of Wisconsin.

Child Care Summit Highlights Changes to Child Care Laws

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:22:05 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Courier
By Courier Staff
Senator Lena C. Taylor (D) Milwaukee) this week announced a child care summit to take place Saturday, February 27th in Milwaukee. The summit will offer advice ranging from how to open a daycare center to questions about receiving micro-loans. In addition, information about Wisconsin Act 76, the recent changes to the Wisconsin Shares Program, will be shared and discussed.

Journal Sentinel Stories on Child-care Fraud Win Polk Award

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:48:01 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Journal Sentinel
By Sharif Durhams
Journal Sentinel reporter Raquel Rutledge, whose stories exposed fraud and lawbreaking within Wisconsin's child-care subsidy program, has won a George Polk Award, one of journalism's highest honors.

Child-care Investigation Stirs Reform

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:58:14 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
Someone picked up the phone and called.
That's how the Journal Sentinel's ongoing "Cashing in on Kids" investigation got started.

Guilty Plea Expected in Fraud Case

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:50:33 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Journal Sentinel
By John Diedrich
A Milwaukee man who collected more than $700,000 from the state's taxpayer-subsidized child care program has agreed to plead guilty to filing false reports in bankruptcy court, according to federal documents filed Wednesday.

Child-care Audit Finds 600 Overdue Inspections, Other Problems

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:41:49 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
State auditors identified a string of regulatory gaps in Wisconsin's child-care program, including more than 600 sites with overdue inspections and at least 200 criminal background checks that hadn't been done.

Feds May Demand Caregivers' Prints

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:44:00 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Journal Sentinel
By John Diedrich
Child-care providers across the nation would be subjected to comprehensive background examinations, including an FBI fingerprint check, under federal legislation pending in the U.S. House and expected in the Senate next week.

2 Child Care Owners Charged With Defrauding Wisconsin Shares Program

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:27:05 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
Two Milwaukee child-care providers who reaped more than $5 million from the troubled Wisconsin Shares program in recent years were charged Thursday with bilking the taxpayer-financed program out of more than $1 million.

State Suspends Payments to 36 Child Care Providers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:21 PST

EXCERPT FROM: WKOW 27
By Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The state suspended payments to 36 child care providers in October based on suspicions of fraud.

Officials Examine 15 Child-care Providers in Fraud Inquiry

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:44:07 PST

EXCERPT FROM: Wisconsin State Journal
By Jason Stein
State officials looking for cases of fraud in a child-care subsidy program are investigating 15 providers getting paid by the state to watch school-age children nearly full time, saying they'll likely suspend payments to at least one of the centers as a result.

Legislature Passes Tougher Child-care Reforms

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:21:12 PST

EXCERPT FROM:
Journal Sentinel
By Raquel Rutledge
Madison - Lawmakers unanimously approved a wide-reaching bill Thursday aimed at curbing fraud and keeping criminals out of the state's troubled taxpayer-supported child-care program.